Wet. 💦 SoS 8 October, 2022.

Early this morning, during a break from the rain, I stepped outside to take some photos. There’s a paddling pool in the back garden that wasn’t there before.

And the rain has continued most of the day. Dams are full, rivers have almost broken their banks, swirling brown water rushes along every creek, people are being warned to be on the alert and not to drive though flood waters.

I have (accidentally) driven through flood water in the dark which was a terrifying experience. By the time I realised the car was in the water, it was too late and there was no option but to drive on through. I don’t recommend this to anyone. I thought I was going to be on the news: a foolish woman (and her husband) sitting on top of their car waiting to be rescued.

(In case people think that happened, we made it through the flood unscathed – the sitting on top of the car thing is a result of my guilt for doing something dangerous)

But, I digress. The purpose of this post is not to illustrate the consequences of foolish behaviour, but to find six things in the garden and join in with the Propagator and the rest of the Six on Saturday crowd. As ever, you can admire gardens near and far by clicking on this link.

One: Scilla peruviana hughii makes an appearance on this blog about this time every year. There are more flowers this year, but I’m afraid it gives every indication of being a thug, seeding prolifically. I’m going to have to do some serious thinning out when the flowers are finished: it’s taking over the nearby iris.

Two: The May bushes have been beautiful, but they are weighed down by rain.

Three: Lavender, also bowed down.

Four: October is when the perfectly named Leptospermum ’Pink Cascade’ features, accompanied by a white Weigela. Truly, ’Pink Cascade’ is not fazed by anything, flowering reliably every year in a splendid display, unbothered by torrent or tempest.

Five: Also happy with the weather are Ceonothus and Helicrysum petiolare, making a nice colour combination in the front garden. The garden at the front of the house is on quite a slope, so excess water isn’t an issue there.

Six: You could almost be fooled into thinking this is a perfect white rose, but it’s a Ranunculus, accompanied by Geum ’Mai Thai’.

The growth in the garden has been amazing so far this spring and I’m constantly astonished that plants haven’t just given up after sitting in water for so much of the time. As amazing as the growth of plants has been the growth of weeds. They’re ‘plants’ too, of course, and they’re growing lushly, lavishly and luxuriantly while the weather is too wet for me to pull them out.

And as Peter Cundall, a much-loved presenter on Gardening Australia used to say, ‘That’s your bloomin’ lot for this week.’

Weather today: Rain, 14 – 19 degrees C. Happy gardening everyone.

38 Comments Add yours

  1. Hi there Jane, how are you?! Beautiful photos, even though they may be a little soggy. I love, love, love the leptospermum! I hope the rain stops soon and the earth can store what it has had already. Take care and no sitting on the top of cars!

    1. Jane says:

      Hi Gill, we are fine except (and I never thought I’d say it in this country) we are over rain. Oh, the Leptospermum is such a wonderful shrub, it never fails to delight.

      I am staying out of flood waters, no matter what.

  2. fredgardener says:

    The rain actually bent the stems of most of your plants, but there are still very pretty flowers! Considering the major floods you’ve had, it’s amazing to see your garden still in such good condition. You were lucky to have been able to take refuge on the roof of the car: the car must be ruined I suppose?

    1. Jane says:

      Hello Fred, I probably didn’t make myself entirely clear. We didn’t get washed away, that was what I feared might happen as we went through the water! Luckily we got through ok, but for days afterwards I thought about what *could* have happened. We are fine and the car is also. I have always been rather scornful about people who recklessly drive through flood water and there I was, doing that exact thing.

      1. fredgardener says:

        I almost understood. The main thing is that everything is fine. Have a good week-end !

        1. Jane says:

          Thank you, Fred. You too!

  3. Rosie Amber says:

    Goodness you are getting some rainfall, but your garden looks lush and colourful.

    1. Jane says:

      The garden is keeping me very busy with weeding, when I can get out there! I think it’s the best Spring it’s ever been.

  4. Jane, I know exactly how terrified you must have been accidentally driving through that floodwater at night. It has happened to me and I know now that I am lucky to be alive after that experience. It happens so quickly. It is not as though people actually intend to do that so it really irks me that people are cast as being reckless drivers.
    Your garden seems to be coping well with the wet. It looks lush and soft and beautiful.

    1. Jane says:

      Tracy, we shouldn’t have even been driving on such a wild night, but we’d started a holiday, MrMG caught covid in Brisbane and we felt we had no option but to drive all the way home. We were 15 minutes from Mudgee! Usually we don’t drive at night if we can avoid it, for fear of hitting kangaroos.

      1. Thank goodness you made it through, Jane. Hope you are both feeling okay now.

  5. Your garden is so full of lush blooms. Hopefully, you can view them through your windows. I did think I was looking at a perfect white rose. I understand the flooding and fear of getting stuck in high water. We usually get lots of rain, but now we are in a drought.

    1. Jane says:

      Lush is the word, Judy! I can’t keep up with it all in this kind of weather. I hope you get some rain soon.

  6. Noelle says:

    Your Leptospermum ’Pink Cascade’ is a real eye catched, and tops the bill this week.

    1. Jane says:

      Yes, it’s lovely, Noelle, and so reliable.

  7. Jim Stephens says:

    I remember admiring your Scilla peruviana before and you’ve served up a reminder in timely fashion for bulb buying season up here. It can be as thuggish as it pleases if I can find it anywhere.

    1. Jane says:

      You seem to have a much greater variety of bulbs to choose from in the UK, so I’m sure you’ll find one. The blue one is a much more dazzling flower. I wouldn’t mind one of those myself!

  8. Leptospermum ’Pink Cascade’ is looking fantastic. I hope things improve over there. I hit a flooded patch of road in the dark once – it was like the end of one of those log flume rides at a theme park, muddy orange water hitting the windscreen. Very scary.

    1. Jane says:

      That does sound scary. It’s impossible in the dark to see the water until it’s too late…..
      Pink Cascade is so reliable and flowers like that every year. It always amazes me how such a nondescript plant for most of the year can suddenly become such a star.

  9. Kris P says:

    Well, I guess your sodden landscape is proof of the prediction that we’re headed for another drought-ridden La Nina year here in California. I regret that Mother Nature hasn’t managed to strike a better balance between our 2 areas of the world but then I expect she’s very angry at the abuse she’s taken over the decades. At least your garden is blooming beautifully. I’d love to have a low-growing Leptospermum like your ‘Pink Cascade’. I had to smile (ruefully) at your statement about thinning your Scilla peruviana. I declared the same intention last spring but never got around to it and I just noticed that the first foliage is already emerging in preparation for next year’s display. Mine’s the blue-flowered variety but I’d love to have a white-flowered one like yours, maybe in a pot 😉

    1. Jane says:

      Hello Kris, I’d love to send you some of this rain: if only that were possible. We are to receive more next week judging by the reports I’ve seen. I agree with you about poor, ill-treated Mother Nature. Sometimes I think it’s too late to save the world from human beings.

      My Scilla was a free one that came as a replacement for an unavailable bulb and at the time I had no idea what it was. I would love to have the brighter blue one. What a pity we can’t exchange.😊

  10. Everything looks so lush and luscious. The Lavendar is fabulous, I hope you can catch the fragrance in the rain. We have had a dry year, all the rain is in Australia?

    1. Jane says:

      It’s going to be our third La Niña in a row, so we are getting more than our fair share. I wish I could send some to those who need it!

  11. hb says:

    So glad you were lucky after accidentally driving into water. Here so many stories about people swept away. Luck was with you.

    Such luxurious lush growth–how I envy you. ‘Pink Cascade’–wow! Gorgeous.

    My Hakea died a few weeks ago in the first nasty heat wave and the Banksia in the last heat wave–I thought it was over-watering, but no it was bone-dry several feet down. Not established enough to withstand extreme dry heat, perhaps. Oh, well…

    Enjoy your beautiful springtime, Jane.

    1. Jane says:

      I’m so sorry to read about the loss of your Hakea and Banksia. Dryness doesn’t usually worry them, so you’re probably right about them not being established enough. What a shame.
      In 2019 it was so hot and dry here, we thought the garden would never survive and now many plants are standing in water and have been for some time. Luckily we built our beds up, it helps with drainage. I never thought at the time that it would be so crucial!

  12. paolsoren says:

    I love them all, all. But I haven’t seen the scilla before. Now I need one. Thank you.

    1. Jane says:

      I will gladly send you some after I thin them out.

      1. paolsoren says:

        That is very kind of you Jane. However I do not have any room in my little unit. But many thanks

  13. What a story! Glad you made it safely through the flood waters and didn’t have to sit on top of your car. I laughed to hear that you’ve got problems with scilla peruviana being a thug, when I am lucky to get mine to flower. Good choice of Leptospermum ’Pink Cascade’ to illustrate your rain drenched garden!

    1. Jane says:

      My Scilla did take a few years to get going, so perhaps yours will eventually. Now I can’t stop it!

  14. Well, for all your worries about the heavy rain, your garden colours are beautiful. The Leptospermum is a lovely plant.

    1. Jane says:

      Thank you, Granny.

  15. Cathy says:

    I heard that parts of Australia have had excessive rainfall for some time now, so I do hope it lets up soon! We had a wet September, but it was so welcome after the dry summer. Still, your flowers all look lovely and lush and it will give your shrubs and trees a nice boost before your summer arrives. I love ‘Pink Cascades’ 😃.

    1. Jane says:

      Thank you, Cathy. There’s more rain to come we’re being told, so I’m hoping between events there’ll be enough time for some of the water to get away. There are people who have been flooded out of their homes three times, and it’s dreadful for them.
      Pink Cascade has been the star this week!

  16. It’s all looking very lush, I hope they manage to spring back upright once the rain stops. You’ve got some lovely plant combinations going on there.

    1. Jane says:

      Thank you, Hortus. I don’t think there’ll be any sprinting up for the May bushes as they are so heavily laden with flowers, but the rest probably will.

  17. Heyjude says:

    Who would have thought that Australia would be having so much rain after that dreadful drought and bush fires not so long ago! You’ll be glad when La Niña has passed, but then what will come next? Your flowering shrubs are a joy to see, I wish I had more shrubs here, but I have nowhere to plant them unless I redesign the entire garden!

    1. Jane says:

      I have been keeping the future in mind when I (guiltily) complain about rain, Jude. We could be suffering from heat and fires again, before we know it. Capricious Mother Nature is making us pay, and who could honestly blame her?
      I am also running out of space for shrubs but I find them hard to pass up when I see some new and exciting ones, quite often on SoS!

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